A Series of Grimm Merlin Tales
by EmbraceYourFREAK
Summary: Tales of love, friendship, and what else, but magic! Rated K  for some violent themes. Please R&R!
1. Intro

**Hello everyone! I'm EmbraceYourFREAK, and I'm bringing you a series of tales! The following one-shots and ficlets are all based off of various Brothers Grimm fairy tales. I do not own any of the characters, or plots. If you have a favorite classic fairy tale by the Brothers, please let me know, and I will read it and then adapt it to the Merlin characters. I hope you enjoy these stories, and I certainly hope you review as well. **

**Thank you, and please take as much pleasure from reading these stories, as I take from writing them! **


	2. Brier Rose

**Alright, so this actually came to me while I was watching the Beauty and the Beast, but this isn't based off that movie. I guess it just got me into a fairy-tale mood. **

**This is based off the Brothers Grimm story; **_**Brier Rose.**_

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MERLIN OR THE BROTHERS GRIMM!**

**Begin!**

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><p>Once upon a time there lived a king named Uther, and his beautiful queen, Ygraine. The king and queen loved each other very much, but were still unhappy. Though they had tried for many years, Ygraine could not conceive a child.<p>

"Oh, if only we had a child!" They lamented yet, they never had one.

Then one day, the king and queen were riding in the forest and they lamented their sadness once again. This time, however, they were heard by an enchantress who lived in a small hovel nearby. She approached the royals and said:

"I have great power, and will grant your wish for a child!" She said, "I only ask that in return I shall be granted a place in your court, and now longer have to dwell in this forest."

The king and queen pondered the enchantress's offer, and since they wanted nothing more than child, they agreed; but the enchantress, named Morgana, would only receive her nobility once the child was born.

Morgana agreed to this, and some months later, Ygraine gave birth to beautiful and healthy boy. The king and queen were overjoyed with the birth of their son, whom they named Arthur. However, king Uther did not uphold his end of the bargain. He denied Morgana a place in his court, and banished her from his kingdom. Morgana was infuriated, and she vowed to punish Uther for betraying her.

Uther ignored Morgana, and in celebration of the birth of their son, a grand feast was held. Along with their closest friends and family, the king and queen invited the twelve most powerful sorcerers' and enchantresses in their kingdom. Uther hoped that they would be generous and kind to his son, and they were; each of them bestowed a gift upon the baby. But just as the twelfth sorcerer was to bestow his gift; there was a flash of light and Morgana appeared.

As soon as she appeared she raised a hand and cried:

"You will pay for betraying me Uther! Once the child reaches his sixteenth year, he will prick his finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall down dead!" And without another word and in a gust of wind she disappeared.

The king and queen were horrified and greatly saddened by this. Uther then turned to the final sorcerer who had yet to bestow his gift.

"Emrys!" He cried, "You possess such great power! Can you lift this awful curse?"

The dark-haired warlock looked at the king sadly and replied:

"Though my power is great, I cannot undo this curse, but I may lessen it."

He stepped forward and gazed at the child, who was being held by his mother.

"The prince shall not die," he said, "Instead, he shall fall into a deep sleep until true love's kiss comes and breaks the curse."

The king trusted Emrys, but in order to further protect his son, declared that every spindle and spinning wheel in his kingdom be burned. And so it was done.

As the years passed, the gifts bestowed by the other sorcerers' were fulfilled in every way. The prince was handsome, graceful, kind and sensible; as such he was adored by all that encountered him.

All too soon, the princes' sixteenth birthday arrived, and it happened that the king and queen were not at the castle that day. The prince went about exploring the castle, going through every room and tower; finally he came to the last and tallest tower. He climbed the old staircase, and at the top came across an old woman at a spinning wheel busily spinning flax.

"Good day, old granny," the prince said. "What are you doing there?"

"I'm spinning," said the old woman, nodding her head.

"What's the thing bobbing about in such a funny way?" Asked the prince, who reached out to touch the wheel, wanting to spin too. But as soon as he reached out, he pricked his finger on the spindle and the magic spell took effect immediately. The prince fell down onto a bed standing there, and fell into a deep sleep.

Soon, the entire palace began to fall asleep as well. The king and queen had returned, and fell asleep in the hall, along with all the members of their court. The knights, horses, servants, and even the flies on the walls fell into deep sleep. Finally, the wind died down, and not a single leaf stirred on the trees outside.

A brier hedge began growing all around the castle, and with each year it grew higher until none of the castle could be seen. The prince became known as Handsome Sleeping Brier Rose, and his tale spread throughout the country. Princess' rode to the castle escorted by their best knights to try and break through the hedge. However, the branches were so thick that it was impossible, and the knights and princesses would become stuck, and died miserable deaths.

Many years passed outside the palace, though time stood still within its walls, and soon a beautiful princess came to the country and heard the story. Her name was Guinevere, and though she'd heard of those who had died wretched deaths in the hedge, she declared:

"I am not afraid, I intend to go and see the beautiful Brier Rose."

Many tried to dissuade her, but she was strong and determined, and ventured into the hedge on her own.

She was unlike the other princesses, and did not rely on knights to get through the hedge for her; because of her great strength and willpower, she reached the castle with great ease. She reached the courtyard and saw the horses and knights lying asleep. Even the pigeons on the roof had their heads tucked beneath their wings. She entered the palace, and found the king and queen asleep by their thrones and the entire court asleep in the hall. She moved on, and it was so quiet that all she heard was her own breathing.

She finally came to the last and tallest tower in the castle. She climbed the staircase, and beheld the handsome prince lying asleep at the top. Guinevere was so taken with the prince's beauty, that she fell in love with him immediatly. Sheleaned over and gave him a kiss. As soon as their lips met, Prince Arthur opened his eyes and looked at Guinevere fondly. Together they went downstairs to find the king, queen, and the entire castle waking up. Soon the horses and knights woke up in the courtyard, and the pigeons on the roof spread their wings and took flight.

The wedding of Arthur and Guinevere was celebrated with great splendor, and they both lived happily ever after until the end of their days.

_**The End**_

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><p><strong>Well, did you love it? Like it? Hate it? Please let me know!<strong>

**Again, I own nothing, and I hope you enjoyed! Please review because it's well past midnight and I stayed up just to write this for you!**

**Thanks, and happy holidays! **


	3. Faithful Johannes

**This story is based off of my favorite Brothers Grimm tale; **_**Faithful Johannes.**_

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING!**

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><p><em>Faithful Merlin<em>

Once upon a time there was an old king named Uther, and he had ruled the kingdom of Camelot for many years; but he was sick. As he grew sicker he thought, This will surely be my deathbed. Then he said, "Tell Faithful Merlin to come to me."

Merlin, his most cherished servant, had been given the name 'Faithful' because of his lifelong loyalty and service to the king. When he reached his king's bedside, the king said to him, "Most Faithful Merlin, I feel my end drawing near, and I am not worried about anything but my son Arthur. He is still young in years and doesn't always know what is best for him. Promise me that you will teach him everything he should know and be his foster brother, or I shall not be able to die in peace."

"I will not fail him," Faithful Merlin reassured the king, "and will serve him faithfully even if it me my life."

"I can now die in peace," the king said, but before he closed his eyes he added, "After my death you're to show Arthur the entire castle-all the rooms, halls, and vaults, along with all the treasures they hold. But I do not want you to show him the room at the end of the longest hallway, for in that room is a portrait of the Princess of the Golden roof. If he sees the portrait, he will fall passionately in love with her and lose consciousness for a while, and then he'll be obliged to undertake great risks for her. You must protect him against this."

Faithful Merlin reassured the king that he would keep his promise. The king then closed his eyes and became silent; he laid his head on his pillow and died. After the old king's burial, Faithful Merlin told young Arthur what he had promised the old king and said, "I intend to keep my promise and remain just as faithful to you as I was to your father, even if it costs me my life."

Once the time for mourning had ended, Faithful Merlin said to Arthur, "It's now time for you to see what you've inherited. So I shall show you the castle of your forefathers."

He led young Arthur all around the castle upstairs and down, and let him see all the splendid rooms and their treasures. But Faithful Merlin did not open one room, for it was the room that contained the dangerous portrait, and the portrait was positioned in such a way that one would see it as soon as they opened the door. And furthermore, the painting was so wonderful that it appeared to be alive, and there was nothing in the world that matched it in beauty. Before long, Arthur noticed that Faithful Merlin kept passing by the door, and so one day he said, "Why don't you ever open this door for me?"

"There's something in there that would horrify you," Faithful Merlin replied.

"I've seen the entire castle," Arthur said, "and I also want to know what's in there."

He tried to open the door by force, but Faithful Merlin restrained him and said, "I made a promise to your farther before he died that you would never see what is inside this room. It could cause great misfortune for you and me."

"No, that cannot be!" Arthur responded. "If I don't get in, it will certainly be the end of me, for I won't be able to rest day or night until I've seen the room with my own eyes. You will not get me to move from this spot unless you unlock the door."

When poor Faithful Merlin saw that there was no dissuading the young king, he picked out a key from the large bunch he was carrying. With a heavy heart and many sighs, Faithful Merlin opened the door; he made sure to enter first and try to cover the portrait with his body. But no good came of it, for Arthur stood on his tiptoes and looked over the faithful servants shoulder. As soon as he glimpsed the magnificent portrait, which glistened with gold and jewels, he fell down unconscious. Faithful Merlin lifted him up, carried him to his bed, and was very concerned.

What a disaster, he thought! Good Lord, what will come of it all? He then gave the king some wine to refresh him, and Arthur soon regained consciousness. The first words he spoke were, "Oh, who is that beautiful maiden in the picture?"

"That is the Princess of the Golden Roof," answered Faithful Merlin.

"My love for her is so great," the king continued, "that even if all the leaves on all the trees were tongues, they wouldn't be able to express my feelings for her. I intend to risk anything, even my life, to have her. And since you are my most Faithful Merlin, you must help me."

It took Faithful Merlin a long time to determine how to proceed; it was very difficult to gain access to the princess. Finally, he thought up in idea, and told the king, "Everything she has around her is made of gold-the tables, chairs, dishes, cups, bowls, and all the utensils. You have five tons of gold in your treasury. Have all the goldsmiths in your kingdom make one ton of the gold into different vessels, utensils, and all sorts of birds, wild game, and marvelous animals that are sure to please her. Then we will take all of this and travel there to try our luck."

And so it was done. The king had all the goldsmiths summoned to him, and they worked day and night until the magnificent items were ready. The golden objects were all loaded onto a ship, and Faithful Merlin put on the clothes of a merchant as did the king so that he would not be recognized. They sailed across the sea, and they kept sailing until they came to the city where the Princess made her home.

Faithful Merlin told the king to stay on board the ship and wait for him. "I may return with the princess," he said. "So make sure all is in order. Have the golden vessels set out on display and have your men decorate the entire ship."

He then gathered several kinds of golden trinkets in his apron, went ashore, and began walking towards the royal castle. When he reached the courtyard, a beautiful young woman was at the well. She had two golden buckets and was drawing water; just as she turned to carry the sparkling water away, she noticed the stranger and asked who he was.

"I'm a merchant," he answered, while opening his apron so that she could see what was in it.

"Goodness, what beautiful golden trinkets!" she exclaimed. She put the buckets down and examined the treasures. "The princess must see these things," she remarked. "She takes so much pleasure in golden objects that I'm sure she will buy all you have."

She took Faithful Merlin by the hand and led him up to the castle, for she was the chambermaid. When the princess saw the wares she was delighted and said, "They're so beautifully wrought that I'll buy all that you have."

But Faithful Merlin said, "I am only servant to a rich merchant. What I have with me is nothing compared to what my master has on his ship. Indeed, he has the most artful and precious things you can imagine."

The princess wanted everything to be brought up to the castle, but he said, "There are such a large number of objects that it would take many days to do this. Besides, your castle would need many more rooms to display everything."

Now her curiosity and desire were so roused, that she finally said, "Take me to the ship. I'll go there myself to look over your master's treasures."

Feeling quite happy, Faithful Merlin led the princess down to the ship. When Arthur caught sight of the princess, and saw that she was even more beautiful than her portrait, he thought that his heart would burst. She climbed aboard the ship and the king led her inside the cabin, but Faithful Merlin stayed behind. Once the king and princess were gone, the servant turned to the helmsman and ordered them to cast off. "Set all sails so that our ship will fly like a bird!"

The king showed the princess all the golden vessels, each and every piece: all the dishes, the cups, the bowls, the birds, the wild game, and the marvelous animals. She looked at everything for many hours, and in her joy and amazement did not notice that the ship had sailed. After she had seen the very last piece, she thanked the merchant, and wanted to go home. But, when she stepped on deck, she saw that they were at full sail and far from land.

"Oh!" she cried out in horror. "You've deceived me! I'm being kidnapped, and I'm in the hands of a merchant no less! I'd rather die!"

But the king took her hand and said, "I'm not a merchant, I am a king and not inferior to you in birth. I tricked you and carried you off by stealth because I was overwhelmed by my love for you. The first time I saw your portrait, I fainted and fell to the ground."

When the Princess heard this, she felt more at ease, and her heart went out to him in such a way that she consented to be his wife.

While they sailed, Faithful Merlin would sit at the bow of the ship and play music. One day he noticed three crew members a ways away from him talking in hushed voices. They did not notice him, and he listened to their conversation from afar. One of them, whose name was Gwaine said, "I can't believe he's bringing the Princess of the Golden Roof home with him!"

"Nor I," said the second, whose name was Leon, "but he doesn't have her yet."

"But he does," said the third, Elyan, "She's sitting right beside him on the ship."

Then Gwaine began to speak again. "It will do him no good. When they reach land a horse as white as snow will come galloping up to him, and he will want to mount it. But, should he do so, the horse will ride off with him and soar into the air, and he'll never see his maiden again."

"Is there no way to save him?" asked Leon.

"Oh, yes, if someone else jumps onto the horse quickly, takes the sword from the saddle holster and cuts the animals head off. This will save the young king. But who knows that? And even if someone else knows and tells the king, that person will be turned to stone from his toes to his knees."

"I know still more," Leon said. "Even if the horse is killed, the king will not keep his bride. When they enter the castle, he will find a bridal outfit in a basin. It will appear to be woven out of silver and gold, yet it's nothing but sulfur and pitch. If he puts it on, it will burn him down to the very bone."

"Is there no way he can be saved?" asked Elyan.

"Oh, yes," said Leon. "Someone mush grab the shirt with gloves, and throw it into the fire. Then the young king will be saved. But it will do no good. Whoever knows this and tells the king will turn to stone from his heart to his knees."

"And I know still more," Elyan said. "Even if the outfit is burned and the horse slain, the king will not be able keep his bride. For after the wedding, during the ball, the young queen will begin to dance. She will suddenly turn pale and fall down as though she were dead, and if no one lifts her up and draws three drops of blood from her right breast then spits them out, she will die. But whoever reveals what he knows will be turned to stone from top to bottom."

After they had finished talking, the three men walked away. Faithful Merlin had heard all they said, and became very sad. If he did not tell his master what he heard, Arthur would be doomed; but if he did reveal what he knew, he would pay with his life. Finally he said to himself, "I shall protect my master even if it means my own destruction."

Once they had reached land, everything began to happen as the crewman had predicted. A beautiful white horse came galloping up to them.

"What's this now?" said Arthur. "This horse will carry me to my castle."

Just as the king was about to mount the horse, Faithful Merlin jumped in front of him and swung into the saddle; he unsheathed the sword from the holster and cut the horses' head off. The other servants were appalled by this, "What a crime!" they cried. "Why did he kill that beautiful creature that was to carry the king to the castle?"

But the king shouted, "Be quiet and let him go! He is Merlin, my most faithful servant and who knows what good may come of this?"

Now they went into the castle, and a basin was in the hall with a bridal outfit inside. It looked as though it was made of silver and gold, and Arthur went to pick it up. But Faithful Merlin pushed him aside and grabbed the outfit with gloves, and threw it into the fireplace. Once again the other servants were outraged and whispered, "Look! Now he has burned the king's bridal outfit!"

But the king silenced them and declared, "Leave him be! He is Merlin, my most faithful servant. Who knows what good has come of this?"

Soon the wedding was celebrated and the dance began and the bride took part in it. Faithful Merlin paid close attention to the brides' face as she danced, and suddenly she turned pale and fell down as though she were dead. He rushed over to her, lifted her up, and carried her into a room and laid her on the bed. He then knelt down and sucked three drops of blood from her right breast and spat them out, and as soon as he did this the princess regained consciousness. Arthur had seen this and was confused by Faithful Merlin's actions and became angry with him.

"Take him to the dungeons!" Arthur cried.

The next day Faithful Merlin was sentenced to death and lead to the gallows. But before he was executed he was given the chance to speak his last words. "I've been unjustly sentenced to death, for I have always served you faithfully," he said to Arthur. He then told him what he had heard the crewmen say, and that he had been compelled to save Arthur.

Arthur then stood and cried, "Oh, my most Faithful Merlin, pardon! Pardon! Take him down from there!"

But as soon as Faithful Merlin had uttered his last words, he fell down and turned to stone. The king and queen were overcome with grief, and Arthur said, "Oh how poorly I've rewarded such fidelity!"

He ordered the statue to be carried up to his room and placed beside the bed. Each time he saw it he would weep and say, "Oh how I wish I could bring you back to life, my most Faithful Merlin!"

Some time passed, and the queen gave birth to twin boys, who were the king and queens delight. One day, the queen was at church and the children were playing near their father, Arthur looked at the statue and sighed.

"Oh, how I wish I could bring you back to life!" he exclaimed.

Suddenly, the stone spoke and said, "You can bring me back to life if you are willing to sacrifice that which you love most."

"I'd give all that I have to have you back!" the king responded.

The stone spoke again, "If you cut off the heads of your sons, and rub the blood one me, I shall be brought back to life."

Arthur was horrified when he realized he'd have to take the lives of his beloved children, but remembered the great fidelity Faithful Merlin had shown him. So Arthur drew his sword, and cut off his children's heads, and rubbed the blood on the stone. No sooner had he done this did the stone come to life, and Faithful Merlin stood alive and well.

"Your loyalty will not go unrewarded," he said to Arthur. He took the children's heads, and put them back into place, and rubbed the wounds with their blood. Immediately, the children were running around playing as though nothing had happened. The king was overjoyed, and when he saw the queen coming, he hid Faithful Merlin and the children in a large closet. When the queen entered, he asked her, "Did you pray while you were in church?"

"Yes, she answered, "but I only thought of Faithful Merlin and how unfortunate he was because of us."

"My dear wife," he said, "we can bring him back, but it will cost us our two son's lives."

The queen went pale, and was greatly saddened, but said, "We owe this to him because of his great fidelity."

The king rejoiced when he saw that she felt as he did. He went to the closet and opened it and the children and Faithful Merlin stepped out.

"God be praised!" Arthur said. "He's been saved, and our sons have been restored as well!"

Then he told his wife what had happened, and they all lived happily ever after until the end of their days.


	4. Brother and Sister

**I'm sorry, yes I know how long it has been, but don't worry because I'm here now! Here we have another Brother's Grimm story with a Merlin twist!**

**And with that, I'll leave you to it!**

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><p>Once upon a time, there lived a brother and sister named Elyan and Guinevere; their mother had died and now they lived with their father and step-mother. One day Elyan took his little sister by the hand and said, "Since our mother died, we've not had one moment of happiness." Elyans' statement rang true, for he and Guinevere's step-mother was a cold-hearted woman. "She beats us every day, and kicks us away with her foot when we come near. The dog under the table is better off than us, at Least he gets a piece of meat every now and then; all we get are hard crusts of bread. Lord have mercy on us, if only our mother knew! Come let us go off together into the wide world."<p>

So the brother and sister went off into the world. They walked over stones and through meadows, and fields; when it began to rain, Guinevere said, "God and our hearts are weeping at the same time."

After many hours night began to fall and the pair came to a great forest; they were so exhausted from their grief, hunger, and long journey that they climbed into a hollow tree and fell asleep. When they awoke the next morning, the sun was high and warming the tree with its rays. "Sister," said Elyan, "I'm very thirsty. If only I knew where to find a spring, I'd go have a drink right away. Listen, I think I hear one gurgling."

Elyan took Guinevere by the hand, and they set out to find the spring. However, the evil stepmother, who was a witch, had noticed that the children had run away. She had gone slinking after them secretly, as witches often slink, and cursed all the springs in the forest. So when they found a spring rushing and leaping over stones, Elyan went to take a drink, but Guinevere heard the gurgling spring say, "Whoever drinks from me will be turned into a tiger."

Suddenly Guinevere exclaimed, "Please brother, don't drink, or else you'll turn into a wild beast and tear me to pieces!"

Despite his thirst, Elyan did not drink. Instead he said, "I'll wait until we reach the next spring."

When they came to the next spring, the sister heard the spring babbling once again. "Whoever drinks of me will be turned into a wolf."

"Brother!" the sister cried. "Please don't drink, or else you'll be turned into a wolf and eat me."

Again, Elyan did not drink and said, "I shall wait until the next spring, but then I simply must drink no matter what you say. My thirst is far too great."

They came to a third spring, and the sister heard the babbling. "Whoever drinks from me will be turned into a deer."

"Oh, Elyan!" the sister exclaimed. "Please don't drink, or else you'll be turned into a deer and run away from me."

But Elyan was already kneeling over the spring, and drank some of the water. Immediately after a few drops had touched his lips, he lay on the bank as a fawn. Guinevere began weeping over her poor bewitched brother, sitting beside her sadly, the fawn wept too. Finally, the sister said, "Hush my dear little fawn. I shall never forsake you."

She then took off her golden garter and put it around the fawn's neck. Then she pulled some rushes from the ground and wove them into a soft rope, which she attached to the little animal. Then, she led him onward and deeper into the forest. After they had gone a long, long way, they came upon a little house. Guinevere looked inside, and since it was empty she thought, _We might as well live here. _So she gathered leaves and moss and made a soft bed for her brother. Each morning she gathered roots, nuts, and berries for herself and tender grass for the fawn; which he ate out of her hand. This made him content, and he would romp around her in a playful fashion. At night, when the sister was tired, and after her prayers she would lay her head on the fawn's back. That was her pillow, and she would fall into deep sleep. If only Elyan could have regained his human form, it would have been a wonderful life.

For a long time Elyan and Guinevere lived like this, all alone in the wilderness. However, it soon came to pass that the king of the country, Arthur, held a great hunt in the forest. Soon horns could be heard along with the barking of dogs and the merry cries of the huntsmen. The fawn listened to the sounds of the hunt, and longed very much to be a part of it all.

"Oh," he said to his sister, "let me go and join the hunt. I cannot bear it any longer!" He pleaded with her until she gave her consent.

"But make sure you're back here by evening," she said to him. "I'm going to lock the door to keep the brutal hunters out, and when you return, knock on the door and say, 'My little sister, let me in.' That way I will be sure it's you. If you don't say this I won't open the door."

Elyan then ran off, glad and merry to be out in the open air. Arthur and his huntsmen saw the beautiful creature and began to pursue it, but they could not keep up with him. Whenever they were sure they had him, he would disappear into the bushes. When it was dark, he ran to the little cottage, knocked, and said, "My little sister, let me in."

Guinevere opened the door and Elyan jumped inside. He then rested the entire night on his bed. The next morning the hunt began again, and when the fawn heard the horn again and the cries of _"Tallyho!" _he became restless and said, "Sister, open the door. I must be off!"

The sister opened the door for him and said, "Remember, you must be back by evening and say the passwords."

When Arthur and his huntsmen saw the fawn with the golden collar again, they pursued him, but again he was still to swift and nimble for the hunters. They chased him all day, but finally by evening they surrounded him. Then a huntsman named Leon wounded the fawn's foot, and he slowly ran away limping. This allowed Leon to track the fawn all the way back to the house, and he heard the fawn say, "My little sister, let me in." He watched the door open then quickly close, and remembered what he saw. Then Leon went back to the king and told him about all he had seen.

"Tomorrow we shall hunt again," Arthur said.

Meanwhile, the sister was greatly upset when she saw her little fawn was hurt. She cleaned the wound and bandaged it, and said, "You must let your wound heal."

The wound was so slight that the fawn did not even feel it in the morning. Once again, when he heard the huntsman's cries he said, "I can't bear it sister. "I must be there! I won't let them catch me."

The sister wept and said, "No! They'll kill you, and I'll be left alone in the forest, forsaken by the whole world. I will not let you out."

"Then I will surely die of misery," responded the fawn. "Whenever I hear the sounds of the hunt, I feel as if I were going to burst out of my skin."

After that, his sister could not refuse, and with a heavy heart she opened the door. The fawn bounded merrily into the forest. When Arthur caught sight of him, he said to his huntsmen, "Chase him the whole day and into the night, but do not harm him."

Later, as the sun began setting, Arthur said to his huntsman, "All right, take me to the little house in the forest."

After the king arrived at the door, ha knocked and said, "Dear little sister let me in."

The door opened, and Arthur stood face-to-face with the most beautiful maiden he had ever seen. Guinevere was frightened when she saw it was a man with a golden crown on his head instead of her fawn. Yet, he looked at her kindly, and after extending his hand he said, "Would you like to come with me to my castle and be my dear wife?"

"Oh yes," Guinevere answered. "But the fawn must come too. I won't ever forsake him."

"He can stay with you as long as you live," said Arthur, "and he shall want for nothing."

Just then the fawn came in, and the sister attached the rope to him, and led him out of the house. The king lifted Guinevere onto his horse and brought her to his castle in Camelot, where their wedding was celebrated with great splendor. Now the sister was queen, and for a long time they all lived together in happiness. The fawn was well tended and played in the castle garden.

In the meantime, the evil stepmother, Morgause, that had caused the children to run away in the first place, thought that the sister had been torn to pieces by wild beasts and that the fawn had been shot by the huntsmen. When she learned of their happiness, jealousy stirred in her heart and gave her no peace. She was consumed with thoughts of nothing but revenge. Her own daughter, Morgana, who was ugly as sin reproached her by saying, "I should be queen! Why don't I have any luck?"

"Quiet!" said Morgause, who reassured her daughter. "When the time comes, I'll know what to do."

Finally the time came: the queen gave birth one day to a baby boy while Arthur was out hunting. Morgause assumed the form of a chambermaid, went into the room where the queen was lying, and said, "Come your bath is ready. It will make you feel better and give you fresh strength."

Morgana had come too. Together they carried the frail queen to the bathroom, put her into the tub, locked the door, and ran away, for they had started a fire and the queen was soon suffocated to death.

When that was done, Morgause put her daughter in the bed in place of the queen and put a nightcap on her. She also gave her the shape and features of the queen, but was unable to change the color of her daughters' eyes. So Morgana lay with her back to the king, so that he would not notice anything was amiss. In the evening, when Arthur returned home and heard his wife had given birth to a baby boy, he was very happy and rushed to her bedside. But the old witch cried out, "For goodness sake, keep the curtains closed! The queen must not be exposed to light. She needs peace and quiet."

The king stepped back and did not discover the false queen in the bed. However, at midnight when everyone else was asleep save for the nurse who was watching over the baby in the nursery, the door opened and the true queen entered. She lifted the baby from the cradle, held him close, and suckled him. Then she puffed his pillow, put him back in the cradle, and covered him with a little blanket. She didn't forget the fawn either. She went to the corner where he lay and stroked his back. Then she silently left the room, and when morning came, the nurse inquired of the guards whether or not they had seen anyone enter the castle during the night.

"No, we didn't see a soul," they replied.

The queen came many nights thereafter and never uttered a word. The nurse saw her, but dared not tell anyone. After some time, the queen began to speak, and one night she said:

"_How's my child? How's my fawn?_

_Twice more I'll come, and then I'll be gone."_

The nurse did not answer, but when the queen disappeared, she went to the king and revealed everything.

"Oh God!" he exclaimed. "What's going on? Tonight I will watch over the child myself."

In the evening he went to the nursery, and at midnight the queen appeared and said:

"_How's my child? How's my fawn?_

_Once more I'll come, and then I'll be gone." _

She nursed the child, and then disappeared. The king dared not speak, but kept watch the following night. Once again she said:

"_How's my child? How's my fawn?_

_There's no more time. Soon I'll be gone."_

Arthur could not restrain himself_. _He leaped forward and said, "You can be no one else but my dear wife!"

At that moment life was restored to her by the very grace of God. She was alive and well, and the color returned to her cheeks. She then told the king what the evil witch and her daughter had done. So they were led before the court, and they received their sentences. The daughter was sent into the forest, where the wild beasts tore her to pieces. The old witch was thrown into a fire and miserably burned to death. When all that remained were her ashes, the fawn regained his human form. From then on Guinevere and Elyan lived happily ever after until the end of their days.

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><p><strong>That's that! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I'll try to update more frequently!<strong>

**'Bye!**


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